This Best Practice Statement has been produced in accordance with the standards set out by the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) collaboration (AGREE, 2003).

A working group was formed as a result of concern arising from a paper published in the British Journal of Surgery on the VULCAN trial (Michaels et al, 2009).

This clinical trial examined the use of topical antiseptic/antimicrobial agents for the treatment of leg ulcer patients, compared with standard non-antimicrobial therapy.